They couldn’t rebel, or try new things.
The town was too small, everyone would know. But this time was different. This party was in Barrie, and Brooke would be with them. They even took their friend Emily, who was excited.
However she didn’t stay with them. Soph could only remember fleeting glimpses of her, like the time was one big kaleidoscope. Sophie kept seeing Annie begging, and then people everywhere, and then she was on the lawn again.
Soph knew they had to get home, but Soph had some punch, which tasted weird. She felt fine, not how she expected drunk to feel. She wasn’t sloppy or falling, but she was starting to feel airy, and when she scratched her nose, she could barely feel it.
But Annie looked fine, if not a little happier, as she talked about meeting a boy. And even though she missed part of that conversation—were they talking about sex?—she knew that she’d hear about it later. They never kept secrets from each other!
“I can drive, Soph.” Annie’s voice said, along with something else that Sophie didn’t quite catch.
Did Annie say something? Did Soph respond? It didn’t seem to make sense, but she was now in the car, as it drove, and she knew something was wrong.
Annie kept closing her eyes! Was she that tired? Shouldn’t she pull over?
But even as she asked that—or had she?—Annie just kept going, laughing at how silly she was being.
Every car that passed them on the road brought a new wave of fear to Sophia. She couldn’t let this happen. She should have argued more! She knew something bad would happen, how she knew, it didn’t matter.
She begged, but as Annie turned her head to reassure her, something happened. What, it didn’t matter. But they started to skid, the scenery spinning as they went, pushing both girls towards the right. For endless time, there was just the horrible screeching noise, followed by a crunch that sounded like a million tin cans being squished. The car kept moving, sliding forward this time, pushing Soph into the seatbelt, her head into the dash. For a horrible moment, up was really down, and she hung there, terrified to think. And then something happened.
It took a moment for her to open her eyes. Everything felt so wrong, so heavy. She was dizzy and felt like she was going to be sick. A crash. But where was Annie? Oh God! Was she dead?
She was dead, Dead, DEAD!
She could help her. Couldn’t she help her?
Why couldn’t she help her?
But her body wouldn’t move, she couldn’t even breathe!
Oh God, she couldn’t even scream! She tried, but nothing came out but blood!
She was dying, Annie was dying and she couldn’t move or breathe.
She’d drown in her blood. She’d never escape. Oh God! She tried again to scream, something, anything! But there was nothing left!
“Phie.”
Why couldn’t she scream? Why couldn’t she get any air at all?
“Phie, wake up.”
And now she was trapped. She couldn’t move. It was like a brand over her body. So hot. Was the car on fire? Oh no, that wasn’t right. Wasn’t right at all.
A thump sounded, somewhere close. Was the car falling? Was that Annie?
“Sophia, wake now!”
Sophie opened her eyes, unable to deny that raw command, and found herself looking into a face filled with intensity.
Dark eyes burned into her, holding her captive. Thane? What was Thane doing in her car? Could he help her sister? She tried to beg him, but no sound came out. No sound?
And then he was kissing her. Why was he kissing her?
But his lips were so soft, so drugging, pulling her from her mind and overwhelming her with him. They were full and decadent. And he used them so well. Everything about him was intoxicating. His scent, his essence, his intensity.
He didn’t give extra, just kissed with precise movements that showed what he wanted. He didn’t tease.
She was simply helpless but to respond as he opened her lips and used his tongue to explore. He tasted like pure, hot male, and she wanted to kiss him deeper. Wanted more.
Thane responded quickly enough, groaning into her mouth, a sound that turned her on almost as much as the kiss itself. And then he lowered his weight onto her.
He was warm, the obvious cause of body heat she had felt before, and he felt delicious pressing her into the mattress. He didn’t crush her, but molded his body to hers as much as he could.
Thane pressed a knee between hers, forcing her legs open to cradle his body. As if she would object! She couldn’t think of anything. Anything at all, well except how amazing the ridges of his penis felt as it pressed against her cleft. But she needed more!
So she pushed her hips up to rub against him. And it felt soooooo good.
She didn’t care about his growl. She didn’t really care about anything. And when he lifted his lips from hers, she grabbed his head to pull it back down. She loved the skin against her hand, smooth and buttery, but it didn’t do any good. He was too strong.
“No.”
No? She grabbed his shoulders—his massive, strong, shoulders—and pulled herself to him. Sure, it was difficult, and her biceps weren’t too happy, but she needed more kisses!
But Thane didn’t give it to her. He held himself up with one hand, and used the other to remove her grip from him.
“Did our little girl try to dominate again? Oh, we have a lot to teach her, eh? At least it will be fun.” The voice came from Adrian, who stood beside the bed, holding his own elbow. “And that
